When Tracey and Chuck Shigley made the bold decision to tear down their crumbling Wallingford home and start from scratch, they eagerly began anticipating the project ahead of them. But what was to become of the elements in their existing homethe parts that had a little life left in them? They left that up to the Seattle RE Store.

The RE Store is a non-profit gem that sells everything from cabinets to wall sconces. Most items are taken directly from remodels and tear-downs. In addition to giving homeowners an alternative to purchasing expensive items from retail and department stores, they also act as a salvage service as well. So when homeowners like the Shigleys have reusable items, the RE Store team will pick them upsaving them a disposal fee and giving them a tax write-off to boot.

And indeed, when it came to the Shigley home, the RE Store found plenty to salvage: decorative crown molding, kitchen cabinets, fireplace mantle, window seat, light sconces, towel bar and other smaller finds. Later on, when it gets closer to demolition day, they plan on returning for the homes double-hung windows.

The Shigleys, on the other hand, only plan on saving one of their homes structural elements to install in the new house: a swinging door between the kitchen and dining room adorned with pencil marks representing their kids growth. Something tells me they couldnt have picked a better keepsake.